


(The Song) Remains the Same

by funnymorning



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 5 + 1 Fic, Butchered Bane storyline, M/M, Probably wrong descriptions of Power Rangers, because I am nothing if not cliche
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-02
Updated: 2013-03-02
Packaged: 2017-12-04 01:13:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/704780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/funnymorning/pseuds/funnymorning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Louis and Zayn were not in a boy band but they were still Louis and Zayn.</p><p> </p><p>And the one time they are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(The Song) Remains the Same

** (1) "I used to watch Power Rangers."…"Love it" **

"Why are you always so dumb?" Zayn asked as he dabbed the sterilized cotton pad on the cut on Louis's right cheek with more force than necessary. 

"Hey." Louis winced and said. "I saved us."

"By jumping on the back of an alien-spider mix. You are lucky he just grabbed your face with his arms instead of turning and swallowing you whole."

"Well, it does gave a distraction for Red to do her magic and shoot him right in the eyes."

Zayn sighed. "You are not untouchable just because you are a power ranger, Lou. You gotta be more careful."

"Alright. Alright." Louis nodded and grabbed the small mirror from the bedside table to look at his face. The cut is not very deep but they were not sure if it had poison traces. The venom analysis from the lab hadn't come back yet and their medical head had declared it good for now.

"It seems good." Louis said. "Well as good as it can be for a cut from an alien-spider mix anyway." He repeated Zayn's word and poked his tongue out at Zayn. "Can we now go and eat dinner please? I am starving."

Zayn sighed and closed the medical box.

"Sure."  
\--------------------------------

"How are you doing Pink?" Allison asked as Zayn and Louis entered the cafeteria.

"Good enough," Louis replied. "Although I hadn't showered yet."

"I can tell from the stink." Vincent said as he passed by them, his white lab coat trailing behind him.

"You are the scientist. You come up with a way to get clean without showering!” Louis shouted after him.

"I make science. Not magic, honey." Vincent shouted back and Allison led them towards the table where Jason and Kimberley were wolfing down their meals. 

"Yo." Jason raised a lazy hand at them when they approached and Kimberley just made a hmm sound with her mouth stuffed of mashed potatoes. 

"Seems like chicken and mash today." Zayn said as Louis sat down across Jason. "You want anything to drink?"

"Water's fine." Louis replied, already half-absorbed in the YouTube video of the Rangers fight downtown today that Allison was playing on her tablet. 

Zayn rolled his eyes, ran his fingers through Louis' hair and walked towards the food counter. 

When Zayn got back, Kimberley and Louis were arguing loudly as they usually do while Jason was lounging on the chair with his feet on the table. Only Allison seemed to be particularly interested in what Louis and Kimberley were talking about.

"You don't have enough sample size to prove it!" Louis shrieked as Zayn pushed his tray of food in front of him. "Zayn! Tell her I do not favor my left side and need a training with half of my body paralyzed." 

"Well you do favor your left side." Zayn said. "But I don't think a half-paralyzed training is necessary or even possible, Kim."

Louis glared at him. "The training is not the point. I do not favor any side! I have equilibrium all around this." He vaguely gestured his whole body. 

"Yeah, yeah." Zayn mumbled and scooped a forkful of mashed potato, already zoning Louis' bickering out. 

\--------------------------------

Zayn couldn't sleep. Maybe he was too wired or high on adrenaline but when he was still rolling around in his bed at 2 in the morning, he decided to get up and head down towards the gym. 

He was sweating a good amount and had moved onto boxing from the treadmill when the light flickered on.

"Hey Green. Can't sleep?"

"Hey Lou." Zayn panted and rested his forehead on the sandbag. 

"I never understand why you prefer to punch things in the dark." Louis complained and sat down on the weight bench. 

"Gave me better sense of accuracy." Zayn explained. "Can't sleep either?"

"I was looking for you.

"For?"

"You are gonna help me put these fake spiders in Kimberley's socks." Louis said and opened his palm to show a bunch of toy spiders, which looked quite real under the low gym light.

"Erm. No." Zayn said and pushed Louis' palm out.

"Come on." Louis whined, putting the spiders into the pockets of his sweatpants. "You see how freaked out she was today when we realize we are supposed to be fighting off a spider hybrid."

"That would be the reason why we shouldn't do it if you don't want Yellow to shoot you in the head, Lou." Zayn said.

"You are no fun." Louis exclaimed. "You are the best at sneaking Zayn. I go into Kim's room and she'll wake up in like two seconds. But you can like somersault into there and just put these into her socks. Please?"

Zayn sighed. 

"Please. Please. Please."

"You are the worst thing to happen to me. I want you to know that." Zayn said as he dried off his sweat with a towel.

Louis recognized the silent agreement. "You are awesome!" He grinned and looped his arm around Zayn's neck. "And anytime you feel like saran wrapping Jason's toilet again, I'll be there."

"Yeah, I don't think he'll fall for it again." Zayn laughed. 

"But it was the best prank we ever pulled!" Louis exclaimed and Zayn fist bumped him. "The prank itself is not even that original but the outcome," Louis laughed. "Man, it was legendary."

"Alright. Come on, you trouble maker." Zayn shut down the gym's lights. "Let's go stir some shit." 

Zayn didn't somersault but it was a near thing as he tip-toed and stepped his way into Kim's room while Louis stood guard at the door. He easily put the fake spiders into one of the neatly folded socks hanging over the chair and back flipped his way out of the room, just to impress Louis.

"Show off." Louis muttered as Zayn laughed and they crept their way down the hall. 

"Let's go sit on the roof." Zayn suddenly suggested as they climbed up the stairs to the boys’ quarter. He was too wide awake and he didn't think Louis wanted to go to bed yet either.

"Sure." Louis agreed easily and they climbed their way out of the building onto the roof.

They sat down side by side, staring at the open sea a few miles away and talked. Zayn thought they should have run out of things to talk by now seeing how ever since day one, it had been him and Louis. But they never do. Louis started on a tirade of how his Math class is being a bitch and how mundane it is to go to school and do algebra when he actually battles against alien hamsters in his downtime. 

"We've never actually fought an alien hamster though." Zayn reminded him and took out his green marker pen from his watch. It was one of Vincent's latest plaything and could be folded small enough to fit in the side of a normal watch. 

"Don't jinx it." Louis said and pushed his hand out in front of Zayn when Zayn was about to draw on the brick roof. 

"Vandalism is a crime." He said when Zayn raised a questioning eyebrow. "And we are supposed to be fighting crimes."

Zayn snorted and grabbed the offered hand, weighing it in his arm as he drew a slightly distorted version of a shield on the bare skin of Louis' wrist. "Drinking underage is a crime too." He reminded Louis, who ignored him.

"Is it too soon to ask for our weapons to be upgraded again?" Louis asked. "I am getting bored of the current ones."

"You can always ask." Zayn said and took out the other marker from his watch. This one just happened to be bright neon pink and if Zayn took it because it reminded him of Louis, it was Zayn's business. "But I am not picking up your body afterwards."

"Ha bloody ha." Louis replied and watched Zayn shades the pink along the green lines he drew earlier on. 

"Green and pink is such a strange combination." Louis said as he inspected Zayn's work. 

"But they go quite nicely together yeah?" Zayn asked and put the two markers back into his watch. 

"Yeah." Louis smiled down at the drawings and Zayn smiled down at Louis. 

 

** (2) "I'd be a video game designer with Louis. I need him there." **

"Louis. Will you stop disturbing Zayn?" 

Louis lifted his chin off of Zayn's shoulder and turned his swivel chair to face their boss. 

"I am not disturbing him. I am helping him, Jon." He replied blithely and threw two M&Ms from the packet on Zayn's desk into his mouth. "I am his muse."

"You are nobody's muse." Jon said and Louis pouted because rude much?

Jon sighed. "Why are you not at your desk, doing the actual coding that I am paying you to do instead of plastering all over Zayn?"

"Eric is fixing the database issue. The one I was talking to you this morning about?" Louis asked.

"Still?" Jon raised an eyebrow.

"Turns out the delimiter he used is affecting all table updates, which means he needs to go through all data loading scripts. I imagine it'd take a while." Louis replied. "And since I can't actually continue working on the scoreboard without correct data, I thought I'd come and help Zayn out." 

"Fine. Fine." Jon rubbed a hand over his blotchy face. "Just don't disturb the only graphic designer for this release too much, please."

"And you need to get a new one soon if you don't want the only one to keel over and die from workload." 

"I am sorry. Who's the boss here?" Jon asked and Louis shrugged. "Just saying."

"Just," Jon shook his head. "Try not to be too much." He said in a resigned tone and left Zayn's small cubicle. 

Louis huffed and turned his chair around, peeking over Zayn's shoulder.

"Thanks for having my back." He said to Zayn, whose tongue was peeked out from his lips in concentration. "Really appreciate it."

Zayn laughed. "You can more than handle it."

"Still would be nice to hear you tell Jon that I am never too much for you and that in fact, I am your everything."

"Are you now?" Zayn saved his document and asked gently.

"You know I am." Louis answered and stole three more M&Ms. 

"Sorry babe," Zayn said lazily and lifted his hand to stretch. Louis tried not to stare too much at the expose skin just above the waistline of the jeans and the dark hair along his treasure trail disappearing towards. "I need to get the belt shape right."

"It's getting animated anyway." Louis replied. "No one's gonna pay much attention to the freaking belt."

"I do." Zayn shrugged and Louis sighed. He put his chin back onto Zayn's shoulder as Zayn transferred the finished design from his drawing tablet to the main PC. 

"You are too good for them."

"Who?" Zayn asked absently.

"This company." Louis replied determinedly. "You make sure your work is top-notch and so detailed even though you can probably save a lot of time by not drawing, I don't know, the fifteen belt holes with exact size and shape. And they don't even have the decency to get some more hands so you don't have to take care of all graphics."

Zayn just let out a light laugh.

"I am serious." Louis dug his chin a little harder into Zayn's shoulder and Zayn hissed. "Why are you not starting your company?"

"Do you miss the part where I just graduated a couple of months ago and still paying back my massive loans?"

"There is always entrepreneurial aids for start-ups." Louis said honestly and watched as Zayn filled in colors on his character design. 

"Only if you are good enough." 

"You are good enough." Louis pressed. "You are always like speaking out and suggesting things in the meetings. And I know Chris came and talked to you about the storyboard."

At such close distance, Louis could see Zayn flushing slightly on his cheek. 

"I just talk to them sometimes."

"Hmm." Louis mumbled. "If you could have your own game company, what's the first game you'll do?" 

Zayn stopped moving his fingers on the mouse and turned his face slightly towards Louis. "Something like Cloud Atlas."

"The one with a lot of different storylines?" Louis raised an eyebrow.

"Sort of. I was thinking like, a multi-player game, where when someone signs up, we pair them up with another player and they will have to play through all the different stages and scenarios and realities to find their other half. Maybe if they can't find them in like a specific time, there will be a life lost or whatever and they will have to start over in another reality."

"Sounds complex." 

"Right?" Zayn laughed. "I don't know. I haven't had any detail or storyboard. Just this idea growing in my head."

"But it sounds brilliant." Louis assured him. "And sounds like a smash hit."

"Thanks Lou." Zayn smiled. "What about you? What would be your first game if you can make anything?"

"Gay sex." Louis replied with conviction. 

"What?" Zayn blinked and asked. 

"You know, like in normal games, they are all like clear all red candies before the time runs out or whatever. Plain boring stuff. Mine will be like hit the prostrate at least three times and make your virtual guy come before the time's up. And for harder stages, the player needs like to use four or five different techniques for orgasm like rimming and nipple play and you can get money to buy sex toys for faster orgasms."

"Wow," Zayn exclaimed.

"I know right?" Louis smirked. "It'll be a hoot."

"It'll be something, alright?" Zayn shook his head and locked his PC. "Wanna go get some tea?"

\--------------------------------

Louis got his normal Earl Grey tea while Zayn ordered his usual Venti, no foam latte with half a pump of sugar free vanilla. 

"You are such high maintenance." Louis complained as Zayn held open the Starbucks door for him. "I am gonna persuade you to drink tea one day. Just you wait."

"Looking forward to it." Zayn smiled and pulled his thin coat a little tighter against the blowing wind. "Hey, if I try and start up my own game firm, will you come with me?"

"You are seriously thinking about it?" Louis asked. 

"I don't know." Zayn shrugged. "It sounds good though, isn't it? Something to call my own."

"Yeah." Louis nodded. "There are a lot of game developers out there though. Probably much better than me."

Zayn leaned against the traffic light stand as they waited for the pedestrian light to turn green. "But I want you." 

Louis felt his cheeks warmed up. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, you are my muse, right? I need you there." 

The light turned green and Louis felt a flip in his stomach when Zayn put an arm around his waist and led them towards their office building. 

He needed Zayn there too. 

 

** (3) "You are my Bane." **

Zayn wasn't expecting someone like Bane when his father told him he found what is possibly the world's deadliest assassin. He was imagining someone more bulky and intimidating and carry himself in a way that could rival Batman. He wasn't expecting someone more Robin-like.

Bane shook his hand and smirked as if he could read Zayn's doubt.

"Bane had helped us a great deal during the transaction in Santa Prisca." His father reminded him and Zayn nodded. "I thought he would be a great asset to us."

"If you are sure, father." Zayn said and pulled his hand out of Bane, who was still looking at him with amused eyes. 

\--------------------------------

Bane single-handedly killed five of the guards when Zayn led the bio-genetic weapon mission into Wayne's factory. The plan is easy. Go in there, plant the bio weapon in the central machinery and get out. Preferably alive. They had been running into Batman a lot lately and they couldn't risk any more manpower loss. So it was just Bane and Zayn and Zayn had a grenade taped to his leg if anything goes wrong. If Bane goes wrong.

Apart from the guards that Bane took care of, there was not a single person to be found and the mission was going over quite smoothly, and Zayn should have known better because as they were hacking the security code to the central panel, they heard a telltale sound of a car, a much heavy and weaponized car, landing on the factory roof. 

Zayn turned to Bane, who nodded. "I'll take care of him." He said through his mask, voice distorted through the black metal and jumped up one of the large pipes leading to the roof. 

Zayn typed a little faster, hoping Bane would at least delay Batman long enough for him to dump the capsule and get out of there. 

When the door opened, Zayn rushed into there, vaguely aware of the groans and pants and crashing sounds coming from above. He detached the little but deadly capsule from his necklace and threw it into the opening of the oil pipe, watching until it was absolved completely and the oil turned a barely noticeable green. 

A body crushed down through the roof and Zayn turned around to see a black figure lying on the floor, not too far away from him. When Zayn took out his gun and moved towards the figure, it moved and disappeared into the dark. Zayn looked up to see a man size hole in the roof and Bane staring down at him. He made a "Come up" gesture and Zayn didn't waste any time in grabbing the metal rope Bane lowered to the ground. 

They were speeding along the bridge when the Bat Mobile appeared from a corner and started chasing them. Zayn swerved the car into busier street with multiple pedestrians because Batman and his morals had always been their advantage. Bane asked him to open the car roof and stood up from his seat, machine gun pointed towards the Bat Mobile. 

Then he started shooting and the chaos broke out on the street, causing people to scream and run everywhere. Zayn crashed at least two vehicles before they got into a less busy part of the bridge. Explosive batarangs started raining and Zayn barely dodged one which wedged straight into the front bumper. 

"Jump!" Bane shouted and threw away his gun. Zayn took Bane’s extended hand and stood up from the seat. Together, they jumped out of the car and into the river. They treaded the water until the lights from Bat Mobile were gone far enough and climbed up to the shore. 

\--------------------------------

"You are hurt." Zayn said as he opened the door to Bane's room, hair still wet after his shower. 

Bane sat, shirtless on his bed and his pants still clung to his legs as he examined the open wound on his shoulder. "One of those batarangs." He said. "I will be fine."

"You need to get it covered." Zayn said and went into the bathroom to take out the medical kit they placed in every room of the mansion. 

Zayn poured the Hydrogen Peroxide onto the wound and taped a bandage over it. "You were quite good back there." He said to a silent Bane. 

"More than what you were imagining?" Bane asked in a knowing voice.

"You don't look exactly intimidating, do you?" Zayn asked and shut the medical kit. "You should be fine now."

"Hmm." Bane said and stood up from his seat. "I need to talk to your father and go over next week's plan."

"Shower first at least." Zayn suggested. "I am going to bed. Tell father you can come and get me if necessary."

"Sure."

"See you later, Bane." 

"Call me Louis."

Zayn stopped from where he was opening the door. "What?"

"Bane is what other people call me. You can call me Louis." Bane said, smiling with too many teeth. "But of course, only when we are alone." 

\--------------------------------

Zayn fixed the bowtie on his neck and checked his reflection in the mirror. He could see Bruce Wayne talking with some of the investors on the other side of the room in the mirror. The grandfather clock next to him was pointing at 10 past 9 and Zayn decided it's time to make a move. 

Luck must be looking over him because as he approached Bruce, the people he was talking to thinned down and Zayn could easily wedged his way in.

"Hello," he smiled widely when he caught Bruce's eyes on him and stretched his hand. "I am Zayn. Zayn Janwari."

"I am Bruce Wayne." Bruce smiled back with a glint in his eyes. "I don't think I have seen you around here before, Mr. Janwari."

Zayn gave a shy smile. "I am new to Gotham. This is my first dinner party actually."

"I see." Bruce nodded and came closer. "How are you liking Gotham?"

"A little too violent, I am afraid." Zayn said with a frown as Bruce put a hand on the small of his back and led him away from the crowd. "Just the other day, I was on the bridge with Batman and some people shooting."

"Ah, I watch it in the news." Bruce took a sip of his champagne. "I was working late in the office that night. But it looked quite a chaos out there."

"It surely was." Zayn smiled up at Bruce Wayne. By now, his father and Louis...Bane should be creating wrecks on the other side of the town. And Zayn's part in this mission was straightforward. Distract Bruce Wayne. Because half of Gotham may be blind enough when it came to Batman and Bruce Wayne but the Al Ghuls were too clever for that. 

When the Batman signal came on the sky about fifteen minutes later, Zayn had Bruce by his tie against the library's door, kissing him hard enough that he wouldn't open his eyes. But of course, Bruce saw the signal shining on the night sky and tensed up next to him. 

"I need to go to the bathroom." Bruce whispered and Zayn let out a shameless wanton moan and pressed harder into Bruce's body. 

"I haven't had enough of you yet." Zayn whispered back and nibbled on the skin under Bruce's neck, tasting expensive cologne. 

"Zayn," Bruce sighed when Zayn bit down on the skin harsh enough. "I had too much champagne. I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you." Zayn let him go and smiled. "I had too much wine too. Plus," he winked at Bruce. "I had never had sex in a bathroom."

Bruce got even more tense but he let Zayn grabbed his hand and led him towards the washroom. Zayn was considering kissing Bruce against the bathroom door to delay even more when the chip in his pants pocket vibrate.

He let Bruce go into one of the bathroom stalls and listened to the stealth sound of him jumping out of the window. 

"Done?" He said into the phone as he stood in front of the bathroom mirror and examined his swollen lips when he came out of the stall about three minutes alter.

"Easy piece." Louis laughed into the phone. 

"Did you move the chip from my shirt pocket to my pant pocket?" Zayn asked. 

Louis let out a laugh. "Thought you would appreciate something vibrating against your ass."

"Jerk." Zayn muttered. 

Louis didn't deny and Zayn could almost see his smile. "Where's our little bat?" 

"He just left. You'll be out of his way by the time he's there."

"What if I want to meet him?" 

"You know what father would say. We are too low on manpower to be reckless now."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Louis mumbled on the line. "I'll see you back at the house." 

\--------------------------------

"We lost track of Bane and Sir Al Ghul about seven minutes ago." Askish told Zayn in a rush when Zayn opened the main door into the house.

"What?" Zayn felt his heartbeat skipped up. "I just talked to Lou-Bane. He said he's coming back." 

"We got the same confirmation from Sir Al Ghul about ten minutes ago too." Askish confirmed. "If Batman got them, it wasn't very long ago."

"Fuck." Zayn swore and run straight towards the weaponry. 

The last identified location of his father was two miles outside Gotham and when Zayn reached to the located point, he could only find a wrecked car and fight marks. 

"Fuck fuck fuck." He swore rapidly and traced the fight marks leading into a hill. He soon found a large enough clearing for the Bat Mobile and swallowed down his tears, looking around for any clues.

Someone fell on him from the back suddenly and Zayn turned around just in time to kick them in the face. 

"Louis?" Zayn shouted in surprise as Louis fell onto the ground with massive force. He thought his kick wasn't strong enough to send Louis down until he noticed a stream of blood flowing through his abdomen.

"Shit." He kneeled down next to Louis whose face was pale and eyes were blood shot. "Hang on. I'll get back to the house." Zayn said and tore up his suit jacket sleeve. "I just need to hold the bleeding for a while."

Louis lifted his hand and took off his mask. "He got your father." He said in a hushed whisper. "I am sorry. I tried to stop him."

"It's fine." Zayn said with conviction and told his shaking hands to still as he quickly pressed the cloth on Louis' wound. "I'll get him back. We will get him back."

"Ok." Louis grimaced as Zayn helped him stand up. 

And they will. Because Zayn is an Al Ghul and he has his Bane.

Bruce Wayne wouldn't even know what hit him. 

 

** (4) "It would have been funny if Zayn and I had somehow ended up on the same course!" **

On Louis' first day of school, he met Zayn. Zayn looked as frightened and nervous as him, so Louis approached him, his friendliest smile on his face. "You new here?"

"Yeah," Zayn nodded. "You too?"

"Yep. Nerve-wrecking, isn't it?"

"Understatement mate." Zayn rubbed his hands together and grinned, hopping a little on his feet. "I am Zayn."

Louis shook Zayn's extended hand. "Louis. Let's go terrorize this school together." 

\--------------------------------

"My class is made up of little demons in cute disguise." Louis moaned as he sat down next to Zayn and took out his pre-packed sandwich because he didn't want to go through school cafeteria again. 

"Try having to make twenty one 14-years old sit and read the first chapter of the Great Gasby." Zayn said and took a bite out of his cafeteria pizza. And promptly grimaced. 

"At least kids know English better than History." Louis complained. "There is a kid who thought we had three world wars, Zayn."

Zayn laughed at Louis' grumbling. "Yeah and to think that we are just students like a few months back."

"Surreal, isn't it?" Louis laughed. "Where did you graduate from?"

"London Institute of Education." Zayn answered and Louis' eyes widened.

"Shut up!"

"Why?"

"I am from LIOE too."

"What?" Zayn blinked. "How come I never see you around the campus?"

"I don't know." Louis laughed. "What are the odds?”

"Yes.”Zayn nodded. “What are the odds?”

\--------------------------------

"What is this about you starting a drama club?" Zayn asked one evening when he dropped off into Louis' office. 

"What about it? I am starting a drama club because this school doesn't have one." Louis replied and shoved a stack of paper on his desk towards Zayn. "Since you are here, might as well help me carry these to my car."

"Alright." Zayn said and picked up the papers. "Quizzes to mark?"

"Yep." Louis sighed. "I am rethinking my weekly quiz plan because kids hate me and I need to mark over twenty papers every week. It's a lose-lose." 

"Kids love you." Zayn snorted. "If I hear in the hall one more time about how Mr. Tomlinson is such a cutie."

Louis shoulder bumped him. "And yet, you are the one with a Facebook fan page. What's it called again? Mr. Malik is our Mr. Darcy?" 

Zayn blushed as they stepped out into the parking lot. "Shut up, mate. Anyway, about that drama club. I didn't know you are interested in theatres."

"I actually wanted to be a drama teacher originally." Louis smiled. "But then no one would actually want to pay for one so I got into History instead." 

"You were in a lot of dramas?" Zayn asked when Louis opened his car and dumped the paper into the backseat, motioning Zayn to do the same. 

"Mostly in high schools." Louis answered. "My first play was Grease and I'd been hooked since."

"No way." Zayn laughed. "I was in Grease too. When I was like 12."

"Are you serious?" Louis asked. "That's really cool."

"Yeah, not as cool as a drama club though."

Louis snorted. "The kids would disagree. Hey, you should come to the auditions and sit inside. I mean, it's a chance to laugh at the kids."

"You are a terrible person." Zayn said as Louis climbed into his car. "See you tomorrow, mate." 

“The audition is Friday evening.” Louis said and drove off. 

\--------------------------------

“This is so terrible.” Louis leaned over to Zayn and whispered. “I want to cry from just how terrible this is.”

Zayn tried not to laugh at Louis’ misery while Megan Turley belted out “Summer Nights” on the stage, her pre-puberty voice piercing through their ears.

“It’s your idea, mate. Deal with it.” 

“It’s a terrible idea.” Louis complained and stopped the instrumental playing on his iPod. 

“Thank you Megan.” He told the blushing girl on the stage. “You are very…brave.”

“Thanks, Mr. Tomlinson.” Megan stumbled over her words and all but ran down from the stage.  
“That’s everyone I think.” Zayn told Louis, running through the list of signed up names.

“Seems like it.” Louis confirmed and got out of the seat.

“Thanks for coming everyone.” He got onto the stage and told the kids sitting around in the hall. “Me and Mr. Malik will be reviewing your auditions and pick the best that we can next week.”

“Mr. Malik and I.” Johnny, who was sitting closest to the stage, corrected Louis and Louis grimaced.

“Well, now you know why I teach History instead of English. But Mr. Malik has you pretty good, huh?” Louis winked in Zayn’s direction and Zayn gave a mock bow. 

“Anyway, I just wanted to wish you all luck. Don’t forget to check out the bulletin board next week.” He said cheerfully. “I’ll see you guys on Monday. Have a nice weekend.”

The kids shouted noisy byes before running out of the hall like herds of elephants. Zayn barely caught a few “Goodbye Mr. Malik.”

“Eager bunches, aren’t they?” Zayn commented as he joined Louis on the stage, who was too busy picking up the scattered music notes and dialogue papers.

“It’s weekend, Zayn.” Louis replied. “Have you forgotten how to be young?”

“Maybe.” Zayn laughed and walked around the narrow stage. “They are all good kids though.” He commented.

“Yeah,” Louis agreed. “I am thinking of Mark for Danny.”

“He got the look down at least.” Zayn replied and ran his fingers along a dusty piano in the corner of the stage. 

“Such a tough choice for Olivia though.” Louis continued when Zayn lifted up the piano cover and tested the keys. 

“I like Tina’s voice but Nikita is much better at acting.”

“Hmm.” Zayn replied absently and cracked his knuckles, before pressing his fingers on the piano keys and played the intro chord for Summer Nights. 

“Didn’t know you play.” Louis turned around and said, abandoned papers all wrapped up in his hands.

“It’s been quite long,” Zayn grinned and stopped the music because he had forgotten the key to the chorus. “I don’t even remember half of it.”

“You can always practice back.” Louis walked over and leaned against the piano frame. “It’d be really cool if you play in the drama. I mean, all the girls and their moms will be dropping their panties for you.”

Zayn blushed and looked at Louis’ thin lips and cutting cheekbones. “Will you be dropping yours too?”

Louis didn’t look at him. “If I wear one.” 

Zayn put the piano cover down and drummed his fingers on it absently. “Hey, it’s the weekend. Do you want to like, go and grab a drink or something?” He asked. 

Louis bit his lower lip like he was thinking the thought over and over.

“Okay,” he answered. 

\--------------------------------

“You guys will rock it.” Louis looked almost a highschooler himself, jumping on his feet and cheeks reddened from excitement. “If you forget the lines, wing it. I am hoping you won’t forget the songs because you don’t forget a Grease song.”

The kids replied, “Yes Mr. Tomlinson”, looking like they are ready to puke their little stomachs out. 

“What if I forget the notes to the songs?” Zayn asked, meeting Louis’ eyes in the mirror and fixing his tie for the hundredth time. 

“I will end you.” Louis pointed a curt finger towards him. “You are not under 15. You have no excuse.”

Zayn frowned towards the giggling kids. “Your teacher is so mean to me.”

Some of the girls openly laughed and Louis shooed them out, asking them to go get line up for the big opening behind the stage.  
“Ready, pop star?” He asked Zayn.

“Hardly one.” Zayn replied, hand still fussing over his tie.

“After tonight, you are gonna be the star of this school.” Louis sighed and turned Zayn around, slapping his hand away and redoing his tie all over again. “You’ll be too good for little people like me.”

“Never.” Zayn smiled at Louis. “You nervous?”

“Shaking.” Louis sighed.

“They will be fine. Don’t worry. And people will soon be asking you to always produce shows until you turn like 60 and can’t write dialogues anymore.”

Louis snorted. “That sounds daunting.” He patted the perfect tie knot with a satisfied look on his face. “All proper now.”

Louis met Zayn's eyes and grinned before leaning forward to press a short and harsh kiss to his lips. “For good luck. Now, go out there and rock it.”

And Zayn did. 

 

** (5) "I admire the fact that I have a partner in crime." **

Louis rolled the candy on his tongue and stared lazily at the people rushing besides him. Zayn was not too far away from him, elbow resting on the counter of the bank teller, a pretty brown-haired girl who seemed flustered at the attention Zayn was giving her. 

Zayn took off his ridiculous fedora off his head and that was the signal Louis had been waiting for. He threw down the heavy bag he was carrying onto the floor and the noise made the people around him jump. He grinned at one particular lady giving him a dirty look and bent down to unzip the bag.

Taking out one of the machine guns Zayn just got them a few weeks back, he lazily stretched and shouted into the room.

“Ladies and Gentlemen.” He can see Zayn smirking at him. “This is a robbery. Please do not panic.” 

\--------------------------------

“Why can’t they just get my nose right?” Louis complained at the lousily drawn faces of him and Zayn on the morning paper Zayn brought in with the breakfast.

They were at a little motel, way off the main street and a little into the farming side. They pay in cash and the bulky guy at the counter didn’t make any fuss. Louis didn’t think he could even read, let alone buy a newspaper. 

“Because your nose is too bloody big.” Zayn said and took out the lukewarm pancakes.

“Liar.” Louis stretched and walked over to Zayn, still as naked as last night and pushed around Zayn’s hands until he could sit on Zayn’s lap comfortably. 

Zayn made an annoyed sound but wrapped his left hand around Louis’ waist and handed him his cup of tea. 

“What are we doing today?” Louis asked as he sipped his tea, with right amount of sugar and aftertaste. Zayn had always been doing his tea and Louis’ not sure if he could make himself a good cuppa nowadays.

“Sightseeing.” Zayn replied and shoved Louis’ shoulder out of the way so he could read the paper. “There’s an art show downtown.”

“Hmm.” Louis groaned and rested his head on Zayn’s shoulder. “Alright.” 

\--------------------------------

They almost got caught in Minnesota. There was a police car parked outside of the shabby inn they were staying in when they got back from their dinner and Louis could see two policemen talking to the inn owner at the front desk. 

“Let’s go.” Zayn said and took out the keys to his Ford. Their guns and money were all neatly packed in the passenger seat since they were here. Still, Louis hesitated.

“My coat is still in the room.”

“We don’t have time for your coat.” Zayn hissed. 

“It’s an authentic Vionnet.” Louis pouted but followed Zayn to duck quickly to their car.

“I’ll buy you a new one, love.” Zayn said and opened the car door.

The noise of the engine reached into the inn and Louis could see the inn owner pointing at them and the police rushing outside.

“Fuck.” He heard Zayn swore and their little car shot down the street like a bullet. 

The chase and the near-death experience always left Louis with such high adrenaline. He’s not sure if that made him a kinky freak but he sure didn’t care. After they lost the police cars in the mountain paths with thick trees around them, he made Zayn drive into a little clearing not too far away from the main road, and climbed him in the font seat, riding him until both of them were spent and boneless. 

“Let’s go to Vegas.” Zayn panted into his mouth.

“Not exactly low key, is it?” Louis asked, moving until Zayn completely slipped out of him.

“Hiding in the plain sight.” Zayn commented.

“Alright.” Louis answered. 

\--------------------------------

They lost all their money in Vegas. 

“You are a far better bank robber than a gambler.” Louis giggled as he winded his arms around Zayn’s neck and the two of them stumbled down the dirty alley back to their hotel.

“You are the one who lost everything at a slot machine.” Zayn laughed. “And drinks. God, what do they put in those drinks?”

“I don’t know.” Louis burped and covered it with his hand. “But I am feeling really good. Giddy even.”

“You are smashed.” Zayn said as Louis tripped over and almost sent them both flying towards the nearby buildings. 

“I know.” Louis laughed and leaned over to kiss Zayn’s stubbled cheek. “I love when you don’t shave.” He whispered into Zayn’s ear. “All those red rash on my thighs you left when you eat me out.”

“Fuck.” Zayn hissed. “You are the devil.”

“I can blow you,” Louis offered. “Now.”

“No,” Zayn shook his head. “I want to have you on the balcony of our five-star hotel room. I want to feel like we are on the top of the world.”

“Alright,” Louis nodded, almost drowsy with giddiness. “Oh fuck,” he remembered. “We don’t have any money left for the room, do we?”

It made Zayn laughed.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“What do we do then?"

“We run, love.” Zayn answered. 

\--------------------------------

They kept running. 

They had been at the State Bank of Nevada, Zayn lowering his Fedora and walking nonchalantly when Louis noticed a big guy in the middle of the room, dressed in a suit that didn’t fit him at all and suspiciously looking around at every person in the room. His stare stopped on Zayn and Louis saw his eyes shone with recognition. 

Zayn was way too focused on the bank counter that he didn’t notice the guy approaching him but Louis did. He ran through the crowd and bumped the guy in the chest.

“Oh, sorry sir. I didn’t see you there.” He said as innocently as he could.

The guy’s eyes turned even narrower and Louis didn’t waste any time in turning around and rushing towards the door, hearing Zayn following him instantly.

They started to run once they were out of the bank building and jumped straight into their car. Unlike in Minnesota, there were at least three cars chasing behind them and once they were out of town and populated area, they started shooting. 

“Bloody hell,” Zayn swore as he swerved into the tree line, the car jumping on the rocky road.

“We need to get on foot.” Louis shouted as the police cars followed them religiously, sirens blare the only sound in the quiet hills. 

“Yes, alright.” Zayn took a hard turn to the right, almost burning straight into an oak tree before he stopped the car and climbed out. “Come on then.”

Louis ran after Zayn, noticing the police getting out of their cars, guns aimed at them. They were shouting at Louis and Zayn to stop running or they will shoot but Zayn looked back at him with a glint in his eyes and Louis ran faster. 

The trees got thicker and Louis was ready to fall over from the ache in his legs. Blood was pounding in his ears and his breaths caught in his throat.

“We need to get onto the road or find a safe place.” Zayn said, each word punctuated with a sharp intake of breath. 

“The road is too far.” Louis wiped the sweat on his forehead. “And everywhere here is trees, Zayn! Fuck.”

A bullet whipped past through his ear and he jumped in self-preservation, heart jumping out of his chest.  
“Shit. C’mon.” Zayn grabbed his hand and ran deeper into the hill, the footsteps behind them getting closer. 

The path they were running on stopped at a cliff and Louis paused in his track immediately. “Shit. Shit. What do we do?” He looked around to see endless trees winding to god knows where and wiped down the blood on his arm from the cuts he didn’t know he had. 

Zayn looked over the cliff and winced. “It’s water down there. But it’s quite high.” Louis went over next to Zayn and looked down to see a small river flowing.

“We need to do something.” He grabbed Zayn’s biceps and said. “Or they will shoot us. On the spot. We are wanted in more than 10 states, Zayn.”

“Alright.” Zayn swallowed and extended his hand towards Louis.

There is a shout of “Freeze” coming from behind them and Louis took a deep breath before taking Zayn’s hand.

And they jumped. 

 

** (+1) "I wouldn't change anything because I love my life."..."And I love you"..."I love you too." **

“I am Zayn.” The boy said.

“Louis.” Louis replied and shook the open hand.

\--------------------------------

“Can you believe we are in a fucking boy band?” Zayn asked as they sat on the beach. 

“Can you believe,” Louis replied. “That we are singing in front of millions of people tomorrow?”

“No.” Zayn laughed.

\--------------------------------

“Harry is still crying.” Louis said and dived onto his bed, lying next to Zayn. “Niall’s with him.”

“This sucks.” Zayn responded. 

“Can I tell you something?” Louis asked.

“Sure.”

“I never thought we’d even be in the semis.”

“Neither do I.” Zayn responded. “But this still sucks.”

“Yeah.” Louis agreed. “I think Liam is in the gym, punching things.”

“We’ll be fine.” Zayn said.

Louis believed him. 

\--------------------------------

“No. 1 on iTunes!!!” Niall shouted from the top of his lungs as Louis carried him on his back and ran around the studio. Harry was talking to his mom and Liam and Zayn were laughing on the couch.

Louis dived between them, toppling Niall over Liam who let out a oomph. 

“We are awesome.” Louis draped himself all over Zayn and said.

“That we are.” Zayn laughed free and loud and absently kissed Louis on the nose before turning sideway to bat at Niall’s karate-chopping hands. 

\--------------------------------

“Nervous?” Louis heard Harry asked to Zayn and burrowed his head a little deeper into Zayn’s neck.

“A bit.” Zayn replied and his neck vibrated with the movement of his mouth and Louis made a displeased sound.

“You haven’t even slept all through this plane ride.” Harry said and Louis could feel Harry’s legs extending towards him and over his lap. He shoved them off blindly.

“Our first show in America.” Zayn said. 

“We’ll break America.” Louis mumbled sleepily.

“We will, babe.” Zayn replied. 

\--------------------------------

“I don’t remember our hotel name.” Zayn frowned as he flagged the taxi on the road.

“Me neither.” Louis replied and tried not to throw up the half bottle of vodka he threw into his stomach. 

“Where to, boys?” The driver asked with a thick Aussie accent.  
And Louis and Zayn fell over laughing. 

\--------------------------------

“What is Zap?” Liam narrowed his eyes at them at breakfast.

“Zap the boys stop asking about Zap.” Louis said to Zayn who giggled and finished his coffee.

“We will find out.” Liam pointed a finger at them and cut his toast. 

\--------------------------------

“This is really cool.” Louis whispered as Zayn’s still raw and slightly red tattoo of ZAP branded across his skin. “You are making me want to get one myself.”

“You can come with me next time.” Zayn smiled as Louis traced his finger along the sensitive skin. 

“I am scared of needles.”

“I will hold your hand.”

\--------------------------------

“You feel so good.” Zayn panted into Louis mouth. 

Louis let out a loud whining moan in response. 

\--------------------------------

“I don’t know why...I mean, I didn’t mean to. I. I need some time to think.” Zayn stumbled over his words, the marks of Louis’ teeth still red on his neck.

“Ok.” Louis nodded.

\--------------------------------

“I miss you.” Zayn said, leaning against Louis’ hotel door.

“Have you had enough time to think?” Louis asked.

“More than enough.”

\--------------------------------

“I love you.” The boy says.

“I love you too.” Louis replies.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Yet again, sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes. Unbeta'ed.  
> 2\. I know I had butchered Bane and Talia's storyline but comic-verse Bane is a pack mule to Talia and TDKR's Bane storyline is not a very suitable one either. Sorry.


End file.
